This month takes us to China, Australia, the UK and North America. As always, if you have contributions to this column – it doesn’t even have to be your own product – just email us the details, along with an image, and we will do our best to include it in this regular feature.
Clotted cream goes to China
Rodda’s, the oldest and largest clotted cream company in the world, has teamed up with Somerdale International, the exporter of British cheese and dairy products, to introduce Classic Cornish Clotted Cream to China.
The product was part of Somerdale’s presence at the Food and Hotel China (FHC) exhibition in Shanghai in November, alongside its range of British cheeses.
A new range of ‘Gourmet Cheese Pizza Topping’ cheese especially created to meet the growing demand from foodservice customers in China for convenient, added-value cheese pizza toppings was also launched. The range features British Cheddar with Cracked Black Pepper, British Cheddar with Chilli and Lime, and Monterey Jack and Truffle.
Introducing Dairy Farmers Creamery & Co.
The latest addition to the Dairy Farmers portfolio in Australia is a flavored milk range.
Inspired by Australia’s terrain and landscapes, the collection is intended to take customers on a taste journey across the country.
From Great Southern Caramel to Murray River Salted Chocolate and Raspberry Pavlova - Dairy Farmers Creamery & Co has paired fine ingredients, with full cream Australian milk and added cream.
The products are available in Victoria, New South Wales, Southeast Queensland and South Australia in 300ml bottles.
Dairy Farmers Creamery & Co is available in Woolworths, Coles, and selected convenience and independent retailers.
Pik-Nik Twiller Vitamin D enrichment
Pik-Nik Twiller sales are receiving a winter boost following a recently introduced product enhancement that has increased the Vitamin D content contained in each peel-able cheese stick.
The product, made in Lithuania by Zemitajos Pienas, now provides Vitamin D alongside calcium and Vitamin A to address winter deficiency in Vitamin D.
Pik-Nik is made from a mozzarella-style cheese in a calcium-rich peelable cheese stick that designed for lunch boxes or as a snack. Each pack include four individually-wrapped sticks.
Angry Orchard and Crown Finish Caves collaboration
In the US, Angry Orchard Hard Cider has teamed up with Crown Finish Caves to develop a limited edition rosé cider washed cheese, Amour from Walden. The team adapted historic beer fermentation caves and used the process to age the cheese in cider for about two weeks. Crown Finish Caves ages its line of traditional cheeses in ‘caves’ beneath the streets of Brooklyn.
Benton Brown, co-owner at Crown Finish Caves, said, "At Crown Finish Caves, we are passionate about the never-ending trial process behind affinage, our cheese maturing process.”
“We are always excited to try new mediums for cheese washing, especially ciders, so when Saxelby Cheesemongers approached us about the Angry Orchard project, we were intrigued. The Rosé cider provided a great apple-forward flavor and rosy color that was distinctive to this wash."
The new product comes from the same red-flesh apples used in Angry Orchard’s popular Rosé cider flavor and a blend of sheep milk and cow cream. It’s a soft cheese with a rosy hue and buttery texture. It’s available at Chelsea Market in New York City and online from Saxelby Cheesemongers.
IMAG!NE dairy snack brand
From PepsiCo comes a new line of dairy-based snacks in the US, Imag!ne cheese and yogurt crisps. The cracker-like portable Yogurt Crisps come in Apple Cinnamon and Mixed Berry, and the Cheese Stars come in Parmesan and White Cheddar variants. The 4.5oz resealable bags have launched nationwide.
Sarah Guzman, senior marketing director at Imag!ne, said, “We know that parents today have a hard time finding snack options for their kids that not only taste great, but also deliver positive nutrition like protein or calcium.“
“That's why Imag!ne features real ingredients like yogurt and cheese that kids and parents will love – as well as fun shapes and packaging to help make snack time, imagination time."
JOYYA ultrafiltered milk
Canadian company Saputo has launched Joyya ultrafiltered milk, an all-Canadian dairy 100% ultrafiltered milk product. Joyya contains up to 16g of protein per 250ml serving, and about 75% more protein and 25% less lactose (sugar) than regular milk.
Joyya is launching with Skim Milk, Partly Skimmed Milk, Whole Milk and Chocolate Dairy Beverage at community grocers and independent specialty stores in Canada.
Kim-Tuan Nguyen, VP of strategic business development at Saputo, said, "Joyya ultrafiltered milk is more than milk, it is ‘ultramilk’. It's a simple choice that's packed with unique and quantifiable benefits.
“We know Canadians crave more out of life, and therefore expect more from their milk. By adding a new premium product to the milk category, Joyya ultrafiltered milk is providing more of the good and making dairy relevant again."
Cece’s Veggie Co. Butternut Shells & Cheese
Coming to Whole Foods Market in the US from Cece’s Veggie Co. is Butternut Shells & Cheese, a pasta-style vegetable dish made from 100% organic butternut squash. Cece’s refers to it as a “remake of the classic mac and cheese” though its offering is completely gluten free.
It will sell a dairy-based cheese option as well as a vegan cheese alternative. The product comes packaged ready to heat and eat with no extra cooking or ingredients required.
Mason Arnold, founder of Cece's Veggie Co., said, "Delivering a full serving of veggie nutrition in every bowl, Cece's Butternut Shells & Cheese is a game-changer for busy families looking for healthy, organic meal solutions that taste delicious. Anyone who has kids is going to jump for joy when they try the butternut shells. They check all the boxes – healthy, easy and kiddo-approved.”
The Shells & Cheese are available now at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts stores nationwide and other select regional retailers.
Oikos Oh! Double Cream yogurt
Danone North America has introduced Oikos Oh!, a double cream yogurt infused with dulce de leche flavor.
The yogurt cups will be sold in the US as singles and in a four-pack, featuring Lemon Sweet Cream Delight, Magnificent Mixed Berry Rhubarb, Salt-Dusted Caramel Crème and Honey Drizzled Blueberry.
Described as a “crave-worthy treat”, Oikos is banking on artisanal flavors with indulgent, premium ingredients to entice consumers to the yogurt aisle. It features the mix-in sauce on the bottom of each 5.3oz cup.
Seasonal eggnog products
In seasonal launches, Danone’s vegan So Delicious brand is offering a Dairy Free Coconutmilk Holiday Nog, featuring “all the benefits of its Coconutmilk beverage, coupled with the delicious flavor of nutmeg.”
International Delight has a Classic Nog that “offers an experience that’s never too rich, with a hint of sweet, nutmeg flavor,” and soy-based brand Silk is offering a Silk Nog that’s free of dairy, cholesterol and gluten.
All three products are available nationwide for a limited time this holiday season.
New premium butter in Canada
Clarksburg, Ontario, company Can-Dairy Inc., has launched the Emerald Grasslands brand of Canadian grass-fed organic Jersey butter.
Can-Dairy Inc. has launched two different butter variants, salted and non-salted, into stores in Ontario including Whole Foods, and it has also been championed by a range of hotels and restaurants in the province.
The butter, which is barrel-churned to 84% BF, is receiving good reviews from chefs in Canada, and the company is growing, as it has recently secured two more grass-fed organic Jersey farm-partners in Ontario, and will be releasing its “select-Jersey-herds” butters soon.
Hiland Dairy Adds custard to flavored milk lineup for the holidays
US farmer-owned dairy producer Hiland Dairy Foods Company has launched a holiday flavor, Custard, which the company said is a seasonal favorite at its locations in the mid-south.
It is made from Hiland milk, eggs and sugar. The ingredients are combined and slowly heated until thickened and then chilled and packaged.
The company says the product is different from eggnog and tastes “like melted ice cream.”
According to Rick Beaman, vice president, Hiland Dairy, "We are excited to bring this holiday favorite to all of our markets. And we're willing to bet that fans of both our eggnog and the custard will disagree as to which is the best, so we are launching a fun consumer contest during December on our Facebook page to let the votes determine the favorite.
Both Hiland Dairy Eggnog and Hiland Dairy Custard are now available at most locations where Hiland Dairy products are sold. The suggested retail price is $2.79.